


The Adventures of Leslie Crusher: Beginnings

by AnnaOnTheMoon



Series: The Adventures of Leslie Crusher [2]
Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: AU, F/M, Fluff, Wesley Crusher - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-04
Updated: 2019-11-04
Packaged: 2021-01-22 13:07:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21302567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnaOnTheMoon/pseuds/AnnaOnTheMoon
Summary: Leslie Crusher and her mother settle in to life on the Enterprise.
Relationships: Beverly Crusher/Jean-Luc Picard
Series: The Adventures of Leslie Crusher [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1346884
Kudos: 5





	The Adventures of Leslie Crusher: Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> The first 1000 words are very similar to the teaser I posted several months ago.

Captain Jean-Luc Picard was walking through the corridors with his first officer when he slipped on a puddle. 

“What the devil?”

“Er.....sorry, Uncle Jean....uhm...Captain...Sir?” Will Riker tried to hide his grin at this child referring to the Captain of the ship as Uncle and was surprised when Jean-Luc chuckled at the teenager. Hadn’t the captain _just_ asked him to keep the children on the ship away from him because he wasn’t a family man? 

“It’s alright, Lee Lee. What happened?” Leslie Crusher flushed. “_Uncle Jean!_ I haven’t been Lee Lee in aaaaaaages. Not since I was a little kid!” 

“Sorry, sweetheart.” Will had remembered his earlier conversation with Leslie and her mother, the new Chief Medical Officer, but hadn’t realised just how close they obviously were to his new Captain. He eyed them with interest. 

“’Sok.” Leslie ran her fingers through her thick, wet auburn hair tangling it in the process. Jean-Luc thought she was the spitting image of her mother when she was a teenager and he inwardly groaned, wondering how many teenage _boys_ were present on the ship and wondered just how he could put the fear of the Captain into them if they looked at her. He turned his attention back to the girl, whose blue eyes were shining with mirth. “Mister Data was showing me the holodeck with Mister Geordi and I fell in.”

“Fell into what?” Leslie shrugged. “I was walking on a log across a stream.” 

“I see. And the safeties were on?” Leslie nodded emphatically. “Oh, yes. Mister Data made sure before he showed me the program. Mister Geordi told him Mom would kill him if I got injured and then we had to explain colloquialisms to him. He’s funny. He asked the holodeck to dry me off, but my hair is still wet. I guess it dripped on the floor. Sorry.” She sheepishly looked up at the Captain and Will watched, waiting for the Captain to explode. He only gave her a smile. “We’ll get someone to clean it up, Lee Lee. I mean, _Leslie_.” He nodded at Will and Will went to a panel in the wall to dispatch a cleaner.

“Thanks. Uncle Jean, can I come see the bridge?” Jean-Luc frowned. “I’m sorry, Leslie. Children are not permitted on the bridge.” 

“Oh,” her face fell. “I guess I understand.” Jean-Luc pretended to think.

“I’ll tell you what. Come to the bridge when your mother reports for duty, and I’ll see if I can’t bend the rules for my favourite niece.” 

“I’m your only niece!” He grinned. “Well, then there’s no competition for you, is there?” 

Leslie threw her arms around the older man’s neck, much to Will’s surprise. “Thank you Uncle Jean!” Jean-Luc gently patted her back and Will Riker once again had to hide his shock at the smile that graced his captain’s face.

“Now, I need to get back to work, and _you_ need to get back to your quarters to dry your hair. I don’t want you dripping all over my bridge later.” 

“Yes, Uncle Jean!” Leslie started to take off down the hallway then turned around to wave. “Bye Uncle Jean! Bye Commander Riker!”

Jean-Luc chuckled at her retreating figure and Will Riker glanced at his Captain. “I didn’t know you were close to the Crusher family, Sir.”

“Oh yes, Number One. Jack Crusher, Leslie’s father, was my best friend at the academy along with Walker Keel.” 

“The Captain of the _Horatio_?” Jean-Luc nodded. “The very one. Perhaps if Jack had survived, he would be a Captain by now, too.” 

“What happened?” Jean-Luc paused, and Will worried he had overstepped. 

“I think, Number One, I will leave that for Doctor Crusher to tell if she’s so inclined. Or you can look up the report. Suffice it to say, it was an accident, and I regret it immensely.” Jean-Luc had a faraway look in his eyes, no doubt remembering the past. He was shaken out of his thoughts by Will Riker.

“Of course, Sir. And, Doctor Crusher?” 

“What about her?” 

“I just wondered if you....” 

“Doctor Crusher and I are old friends. And I would advise you to remember that Leslie is fifteen and very impressionable.” Will Riker flushed.

“Of course, Sir.”

###

Leslie was ecstatic as she told her mother about her invitation to see the bridge and Beverly rolled her eyes at her teenager.

“Honey, are you sure? You know the rules...” Leslie sighed dramatically.

“Mo-om. Uncle Jean told me I could!” Beverly eyed her daughter. “Are you sure he wasn’t just humouring you?”

“No,” Leslie shook her head. “He said he would bend the rules for me because I’m his favourite!” Beverly just shook her head. Her daughter had tenacity, that was for sure. No doubt Jean-Luc would say she inherited that from her. Beverly smiled. It would be good to serve on a ship again, and to serve with Jean-Luc once more. She wondered what this would do to their relationship, but decided it wasn’t worth worrying over. Their relationship had always been casual with no strings, but she _did_ wonder if they would ever spend the night together now that they were serving on the same ship.

“Alright. Let me just change into my duty uniform.” 

“You should wear the new skant, Mom!” Beverly shook her head. “I don’ think so. Fancy bending over my patients and showing the rest of Sickbay my knickers? I think I’ll stick to the jumpsuits, as uncomfortable as they are.” 

“Aw, come on Mom. Just for today? Just to prank Uncle Jean?” Leslie’s eyes glistened with mirth. She had definitely inherited her love of pranks from her father, that was certain. Beverly rolled her eyes. “Fine, but I’m keeping on the labcoat.” Leslie clapped her hands. “Can’t wait to see the look on Uncle Jean’s face!”

The lift doors opened onto the bridge and Jean-Luc glanced over from his center chair and rose when he saw it was Beverly and tried to conceal his surprise at her choice of uniform. “Doctor Crusher.”

“Reporting for duty, Captain.” she mock saluted and winked. Jean-Luc smirked. “And I suppose Miss Leslie is behind you?” 

“She is indeed. Talking about you allowing her to visit the bridge? Jean-Luc, I’m positively shocked.” The rest of the bridge crew stood there dumbfounded at the way their doctor was treating the Captain and even more shocked that he was accepting her behaviour. 

“I thought I might bend the rules. Just for today, mind.” Leslie peeked around the corner of the lift doors and grinned. “Thanks Uncle Jean!” Lieutenant Tasha Yar exchanged a glance with Lieutenant Worf. ‘Uncle?’ she mouthed. Worf merely shrugged. It wasn’t any of his business. 

“I believe you already know Mister Data and Mister La Forge?” Leslie nodded. 

“Hi Mister Data! Hi Mister Geordi!“ Geordi grinned at the teenager. 

“I see you’re dry now.” Leslie giggled. 

“Why would she not be dry, Geordi? We were on the holodeck several hours ago.” If Geordi could have rolled his eyes, he would have. 

“I’m just teasing her, Data.” 

“Because you like her? She is a bit young for you, Geordi. I do not think the Doctor would allow it.” Geordi blushed.

“No, Data. I mean, I _do_ like her, but not like that. It’s just...something friends do with each other.” He shrugged and shot an apologetic glance at Leslie, who giggled. Jean-Luc cleared his throat. “And you met Commander Riker in the corridor.” Leslie shyly smiled at the man. “And I’d like you to meet Counsellor Troi, Lieutenant Yar, and Mister Worf.” Leslie’s eyes went wide when she saw Worf.

“I’ve never met a Klingon before. Sorry, that was rude.” She blushed. 

“I am used to it,” sighed Worf. Jean-Luc chuckled and patted Leslie’s shoulder. “We’ll have to work on your diplomacy.” 

Deanna Troi glanced between the teenage girl, her Captain, and the Doctor and tried to puzzle out the feelings she was getting. The girl felt nothing but adoration for the Captain, but the feelings between the Captain and Doctor were harder to pinpoint. A deep friendship, but perhaps...something more? 

“Now then, Doctor Crusher, I need to speak with you privately. Number One, keep an eye on Leslie.” 

Beverly turned towards the Ready Room door and Jean-Luc got a glance of her backside. _She’s trying to kill me._ He glanced over his shoulder and saw Will Riker was allowing Leslie to sit in the middle seat and grinned. _Bet Leslie is loving that._

###

Beverly discarded her lab coat as soon as the door closed behind them and Jean-Luc groaned. “Are you _trying_ to kill me?” 

“What? This?” Beverly twirled in a circle and laughed when Jean-Luc grabbed her hips and pulled her close. 

“Yes. I thought you settled on the new jumpsuits?” 

“I did, but we thought it might be fun if I wore the skant today.” Jean-Luc raised his eyebrows.

“We? Taking fashion advice from a teenager? I should have _known_ Lee Lee was involved.” Beverly smirked. 

“So you’re saying I shouldn’t wear this daily?” Jean-Luc smoothed his hands down her sides and lightly squeezed her hips.

“Well, I _do_ like it. I’m just not sure how functional it would be for my Chief Medical Officer.” 

“That’s what I think, too. You know, Jean-Luc...the skant is unisex.” 

“No.” Beverly reached up and lightly cupped his cheek. 

“You do have nice legs...” 

“And they’re going to stay in my jumpsuit when I’m on duty.” Beverly wiggled her eyebrows. 

“And when you’re _not_ on duty?” Jean-Luc rolled his eyes and pecked her lips lightly before releasing her.

“Anyway, I actually called you in to discuss the medical needs of the crew. Tea?” 

“Yes, please.” Beverly put back on her lab coat and sat in front of Jean-Luc’s desk. She smiled at him when he handed her a cup of tea and settled behind the desk.

“I know we have a few crew with special needs. Do you think your staff is prepared?” Beverly took a sip of her tea and nodded. “We found a good mix for sickbay. I can’t think of many things we wouldn’t be able to handle or at least stabilize until we were able to get to a space station. I _am_ a little concerned with Data. I only know the basics of cybernetics, but I’m willing to learn. I have a feeling caring for Data will be a combined effort between myself and our Chief Engineer....but I haven’t met them yet.” Jean-Luc sighed.

“I don’t have one. I have three people who are entirely capable of the position, but none of them were my first choice. My first choice was sadly vetoed by the admiralty.” 

“Oh?” Jean-Luc nodded. “I wanted La Forge, but he is only a lieutenant and they wouldn’t approve a promotion as he’s only recently been made a full lieutenant. I’m hoping I can promote him within the year and give him the position.”

“So the others are just fillers?”

“For now.” The pair continued to discuss the medical needs of the crew and any other special equipment or lab space Beverly thought she might need when the door chime went off. “Come.” Leslie entered the room and frowned in disappointment when she saw them at the desk.

“Aw, I was hoping I was going to interrupt something steamy.” 

_“Leslie!”_

_“Mom,” _Leslie mocked back. Jean-Luc rolled his eyes. “Did you need your mother for something or did you only come in here to bother us?” Leslie flopped onto the sofa in the corner of the room.

“I think Commander Riker was tired of babysitting me.” 

“More like, tired of your questions.” Jean-Luc rose and walked over to the replicator and was soon handing Leslie a glass of her favourite lemonade. She grinned.

“Thanks, Uncle Jean.” 

“But while you’re in here, we might as well discuss your educational needs.” Leslie made a face.

“School is boring. I want to _do_ things.” Beverly grinned. “Like your father.” Jean-Luc joined her in grinning. Jack Crusher had been incredibly smart, but _hated_ actually attending classes and preferred when he got to do hands-on projects and lab assignments.

“Are you planning on taking the entrance exam for the Academy?”

“I think so. I mean, if I can’t serve without attending....” 

“You _could_ enlist, but then you wouldn’t be on the bridge as anything other than a support officer.” Leslie wrinkled her nose. 

“Academy it is,” she dramatically sighed. Beverly rolled her eyes.

“Stop. You know you’ve wanted to attend the Academy for years.”

“Yeah, but my last school was_ boring_.” Jean-Luc nodded sympathetically. “I know. But the good news is you’ll have the chance to do independent study on the ship. I’ve cleared it with Lieutenant Barnes, and she’d like to do an assessment with you to determine where you are and then she can assign you independent projects.”

“Cool!” 

Beverly rose from her seat. “I better go change and get to Sickbay. Leslie, are you coming back with me?”

“Yeah. So...Uncle Jean, did you like Mom’s skant?” 

“She looks lovely. Will I see you both for dinner?” Beverly pursed her lips, asking the question that would determine how the evening would progress. 

“Our quarters or yours?” 

“Yours, I think. I’ll bring a bottle from Robert.” 

“Mm, good.”

###

“Uncle Jean, are you sleeping over tonight?” 

“_Leslie!”_ Leslie sheepishly grinned at the two adults over the dinner table. 

“What? Uncle Jean always sleeps over on weekends. We have dinner together on Friday and on Saturday, you guys go out,” she scrunched up her face, “I suppose you’ll have to use the holodeck. But, it’s like _tradition_ and stuff.” 

Beverly and Jean-Luc exchanged a glance. Neither one had realised how habitual their relationship was, but Leslie wasn’t wrong. They had started seeing each other when Jean-Luc’s ship, the _USS Stargazer_ had been destroyed and he had returned to Earth to face the court martial. Beverly had asked to be stationed at Starfleet Medical shortly after her husband’s death, finding it too painful whenever the _Stargazer_ was docked at her husband wasn’t present. 

Jack’s death and Beverly’s move hadn’t kept her and Jean-Luc apart. Jean-Luc and Beverly would arrange their shore leaves together, sometimes with their other friend Walker Keel, just like they used to when Jack had been alive. Sometimes Jean-Luc would visit Beverly and Leslie at their home on Earth, and other times the three would go away together. Jean-Luc and Beverly had never crossed the line over to lovers, despite exchanging many kisses.

When Jean-Luc first arrived after the destruction of his ship, Beverly had kissed him and told him how grateful she was that he hadn’t been killed. Their relationship had started that night when Beverly had invited him to stay....and that had been their relationship for the past eight years. Weekends were spent together either as a couple or as a ‘family, weekdays were for work. The only exceptions had been if Jean-Luc had been given a short assignment or if Beverly had a nightshift at the hospital, but on nights, Leslie usually stayed with Jean-Luc. They had kept their relationship low-key, unsure of how people would have viewed them getting together just a few years after the death of her husband. Very few people outside of their immediate circle of friends knew of their involvement, and Beverly wondered how long that would last on their ship.

Leslie continued to stare at her mother and her uncle. “Well?”

“Your mother and I haven’t discussed our...arrangement.” Leslie rolled her eyes. 

“Sex. You guys have sex.” Beverly flushed.

_“Leslie Ann Crusher!” _

“But..it’s true!” Beverly folded her arms.

“It’s not polite to talk about people’s....sex life.” Beverly snuck a glance at Jean-Luc, who was simply staring at Leslie bewildered. Beverly reached over and patted his hand, which seemed to bring him out of his daze.

“Leslie,” he cleared his throat, “My relationship with your mother is private and we’d like to keep it that way for now.”

“So...don’t tell anyone that you sleepover?” He nodded.

“That would be appreciated.” 

“Ok, so are you?” Jean-Luc exchanged a look with Beverly, who merely used her eyes to confirm. 

“Yes, I will be spending the night.” 

“Cool. I have headphones.”

###

Beverly rested her head on Jean-Luc’s bare chest and threaded their fingers together. Jean-Luc dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “Your daughter...”

“I blame you. You helped to raise her!” Jean-Luc chuckled. 

“Nope. She’s all Howard, and you know it. I seem to remember a certain teenage girl named Beverly....” 

“Oh, no, don’t bring _that_ up!” She playfully shoved him and he chuckled again. 

“You know, she’s the spitting image of you.” 

“That’s what worries me!” 

“We’re on a spaceship. How much trouble could she get into?” Beverly sat up and eyed her friend. 

“It’s a big ship.” 

“What do you suggest we do? Restrict her to your quarters or mine? That’s hardly fair.” Beverly sighed. 

“I know. I just...worry about her.” Jean-Luc sat up to wrap an arm around her and pulled her against his shoulder. 

“I know you do. But we raised her well. And, the only people allowed real alcohol on the ship are the senior officers, so if she wanted to get drunk, she’d be in one of our quarters...._and_ you’ve been allowing her to drink wine on Friday nights from a young age. It’s impossible to bring drugs onto the ship or create them on the holodeck as the scanners would pick up on it being transported on or brought in the cargo bay and destroy it, and the holodeck would simply refuse the command. I don’t think you have anything to worry about in _that_ regard. And you gave her the sex talk a long time ago. Plus, she’s a pretty good kid.” 

“I’m just being silly, aren’t I?” She threaded their fingers back together. “She doesn’t have a reason to sneak off away from me like I did from Nana.” 

“...And get on a shuttle and wind up at a Starbase. You’re lucky you met Walker and me and not someone who would have taken advantage of you.” She grinned.

“But it was the start of a beautiful friendship...” 

“That it was.” He turned her head and gently kissed her. “I do love you, you know.” 

“I know. I love you too.” Beverly kissed him back before laying back down. “We better get some sleep.”

“Goodnight, my love.” 

“Night, Jean-Luc.”

Jean-Luc held Beverly in his arms and he contemplated their eight year relationship. They had discussed marriage more than once, but they had always decided against it – either it felt too soon after Jack’s death or Jean-Luc had been worried that people would assume he had given Beverly the CMO position purely because she was his wife and not based on her merits. And now that they were serving together....Jean-Luc wasn’t sure what would happen to their relationship, but he was determined not to let being Captain of the _Enterprise_ get in the way of their relationship. 

###


End file.
